Box of Secrets
by JudyHopps934MTZD
Summary: Two years after the Night Howlers Case, the first chinchilla officer Lexi Aries had started working with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Even though they developed a strong friendship bond, Lexi never mentions her family to anyone. During a routine patrol, the trio end up uncovering a dark secret regarding Lexi's family that might change Lexi's life.
1. Chapter 1: Low-Key Morning

**Chapter 1: Low-Key Morning**

"How long does it take to make coffee, tea, and hot chocolate?"

For most mammals, the first time they decide to get Snarlbucks is usually the time where they wonder how long does it really take the baristas to make their beverage. However, for Judy Hopps, this is a reoccurring question that she asks her friends Nick Wilde and Lexi Aries during their routine Snarlbucks run.

"Carrots, it hasn't been a minute since we placed our order," Nick replied in annoyance.

"More like forty seconds had passed, which means I win!" Lexi exclaimed while putting her fists in the air, which made Nick roll his eyes at the excited chinchilla and left Judy in a state of confusion.

"What in the world did you win?" Judy asked.

Nick sighed. "Lexi and I had been making bets on how long it takes you to ask that question from the moment we finish ordering our drinks."

"And the person who is closer to the actual time wins. The loser must pay for the winner's drinks. So, Nick owes me four bucks," Lexi explains, holding out her paw. Nick gives her the cash while glaring at the ecstatic chinchilla.

"I see. And how long has this been going on?" Judy imposed, clearly not satisfied at the fact that her friend had imposed a bet about her.

"Ever since we started working with Lexi. You never found out about these bets because we usually discuss them when you're not listening," Nick explained.

"And it's also because Nick always won. Sadly, I got used to paying for Nick's coffee every day," Lexi added on. This truly was the first time she won the bet against the red fox as he knew Judy for much longer than Lexi. "It's like having to pay for my brother's smoothie along with my hot chocolate for three months!"

This statement had brought up Judy and Nick's attention. Three months had passed since Lexi had started working in the ZPD, forming a bond with both officers since the first day and within every conversation they had, the chinchilla had _never_ uttered a word about her family. This is the first time they heard her mention her brother. Scratch that, they _never_ knew that she had a brother!

Always one to seize the moment of opportunity, Judy decided to press on the issue. "So…how is your brother doing?"

Lexi was caught off guard with Judy's question, to which she nervously replied "He's uh… doing great! Last I remember, he got into high school." She forcefully smiled as she finished the sentence.

Judy and Nick exchanged looks for a moment before a barista called out "Order 34? Your drinks are ready."

"Hey! Our drinks are ready!" Lexi shouted a little too enthusiastically as she reached out for the drinks and pawed them out to their respected owner. "Now let's head on out to the precinct. You know how much Bogo hates it when we're late," Lexi added hastily as she ran towards the parking lot.

Her friends exchange another glance while wondering about the chinchilla's antics. Clearly, she did not want to talk about her brother. While they want answers, the best thing is to not press on the issue.

Well, at least for now.

* * *

The whole car ride from Snarlbucks to the ZPD was very silent. No one said anything to each other as the awkward atmosphere that built on from the coffeeshop was still present. It was never easy for Lexi to talk about her family for reasons that nobody knows. For her, it is perfectly normal for mammals to be surprised whenever Lexi unintentionally brings up a family member in a conversation, especially when they know her for so long. As a result, she does not blame Judy and Nick for being surprised in general.

Although Nick was surprised by Lexi's reaction when Judy asked about her brother, he assumed that there might be some issues between Lexi and her family. He knows, as he had been through something similar before. His father had disappeared and ever since the incident with the Junior Ranger Scout when he was eight, he gradually became distant from his mother for a little over twenty years. Everything is good now thanks to Judy insisting Nick to talk to his mother.

As they got out of the car and entered the precinct, the once clear blue sky from earlier this morning was now a sky full of dark clouds.

Finally, Lexi broke the silence by randomly saying "Boy, those clouds had appeared out of nowhere."

"I know! The weather this morning was very pleasant!" Judy added on. Her mind wandered for about five seconds before realizing what Lexi was doing and then blurted out "Please tell me what's going on. We are your friends and you can trust us with anything!"

This led to Lexi entering a state of confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about your family! Is something wrong? I want to help in any way I can!"

 _Typical Judy,_ Lexi thought. Over the past three months, she got to know Judy very well. Well enough that Lexi knew that her optimistic friend would be more than happy to help her or Nick. Even if it meant intruding into their life. Lexi took a deep breath before continuing. "Judy, I assure you everything is fine."

"What's fine?" A voice asked. The trio turned to face the ZPD receptionist Benjamin Clawhauser.

"Morning Clawhauser!" Judy greeted.

"Hey Clawhauser!" Nick greeted as well.

"Greetings Clawhauser!" Lexi followed with the greetings.

"Morning guys. What's new?" Clawhauser asked.

"Well, uh- "

"Lexi here was starting to talk about her family," Nick interrupted. As a result, Lexi narrowed her eyes at him.

"Huh. You rarely mention your family-wait, scratch that. You've _never_ mentioned your family. Is everything alright?"

"That's what I want to know!" Judy blurted out a bit too loudly. Everyone who was able to hear her turned their heads at the rabbit's direction. Realizing this unwanted attention, Judy lowers her voice so Nick, Lexi, and Clawhauser were the only ones that can hear her. Facing Lexi, she continues. "I just want to help. Its not okay to bottle up the issue."

"Yeah. If anything, I bet Carrots here can help fix any issue between you and her family," Nick jumped in.

"Listen, I know you all mean well, but I'm not sure this is something that could be repaired easily." Lexi sighed as this was wearing her out and her day had just started. "Now if you'll excuse me, it's almost time for roll call. I'll meet you inside." She started heading to the briefing room.

Nick, Judy, and Clawhauser briefly exchanged glances as the chinchilla's behavior was very bizarre. The main question is why is mentioning her family or taking about them so difficult?

* * *

The briefing room is usually very noisy. It is very common to find the other officers banging, talking, and even arm-wrestling amongst each other. For anyone with sensitive hearing, they would need to brace themselves from the noise that can ambush their ears.

And from the moment Lexi entered the room, she was broken away from her thoughts as she now had a new problem: shielding her ears from the noise level of the briefing room. _Curse you chinchilla ears,_ she thought as she walked to her seat at the front.

Not too long after, the door opened once again as Judy and Nick entered the room. Roll call was about to start and they needed to clear thing up with Lexi. After all, a team cannot function properly if there is a lot of tension between the team members.

Once they got to their usual chair at the front, Judy was the first to speak. "Lexi, we're- "

"Atten-hut!" Officer Higgins shouted.

The typical chaos from the briefing room turned into coordinated banging of the desk and yelling out "hut" as Chief Bogo entered the room and headed for the podium.

"Alright, alright. Everyone shut it!" Bogo shouted. Immediately, the whole room fell silent. All eyes fell on him as everyone listened in for their assignments and for any announcement that the Chief might have. "There are some changes to any routine patrols you have. Go to Clawhauser for the new patrol routes. Otherwise, you may resume solving your cases. Dismissed."

One by one, everyone went out the door to resume their work. As soon as Judy, Nick, and Lexi were about to leave…

"Hopps, Wilde, Aries. A word."

The three stopped in their tracks. When Bogo wants to "have a word" with his officers, it's usually followed by anything bad. Being called over is rarely anything good and those who are called over are one hundred percent filled with worry beforehand.

The three smaller mammals stood at attention and responded, "Yes sir?" in union.

The cape buffalo stared at the for what was 5 seconds before saying "Once again, congratulations on capturing the Grazers."

The Grazers are a notorious gang that pull off well-organized robberies in jewelry stores and banks. Three days ago, Judy, Nick, and Lexi responded to a bank robbery call which involved the Grazers. The gang would have gotten away with it, except a gang member went back to find a family heirloom he dropped while taking the money from the vault. Once the trio got to the bank, the robbers were caught in the act and were arrested on the spot.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Lexi responded with a hint of nervousness.

"We were hunting them down for a long time now. As of this moment, the Grazers gang had been taking down at last. Anyways, back to work," Chief Bogo said before heading out the door, leaving the trio by themselves.

After a few seconds, Judy said "Lexi, we are so sorry about earlier. We want to help, but I guess we should respect your wishes."

"Its fine Judy. This happens so many times with multiple mammals. You guys are not the first to experience this." Lexi assured her friends.

"Now that this is cleared up, can we please get going?" Nick asked his team.

"Right, lets go to Clawhauser's desk for our new route. I'll go get the keys," Judy said before heading out the door to start their day.

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** **Greetings readers! First things first, thank you so much for choosing to read my story! I am truly grateful, especially since this is the first time I am writing fanfiction (and it's going to appear online). Ever since Zootopia came out in theaters, I had come up with possible storylines and original characters (OCs). This is an idea that kind of wrapped around my head for a while and I finally found time to write fanfiction. Yay! I hope you all enjoy my story as we move forward with the story and questions WILL BE ANSWERED!  
** **PS: I am a very mature individual who can come off as very goofy. Oh well :)  
** **Before the disclaimer, I must say that I have been working on this story on AO3 for the first six chapters and had recently decided to post it on this website, so each available chapter so far has been posted. In addition, this took forever because well...I'll explain later on.**

 **DISCLAIMER: Zootopia and all the characters from the film belong to Disney! This fan made storyline and any of its OCs that appear in the story are the product of my own imagination and belong to me.**


	2. Chapter 2: Routine Patrol

**Chapter 2: Routine Patrol**

"Ready to make the world a better place?" Judy eagerly asked her team while extending her fist outwards towards Nick and Lexi. Before pulling out of the precinct's parking lot, the trio typically share a three-way fist pump.

If there was one thing that Nick and Lexi learned about Judy, it was that she is very enthusiastic at the start of patrol.

"Ready," Nick and Lexi responded simultaneously.

After sharing a fist pump, the trio were on the move to keep the streets of Zootopia free of criminals.

As they continued their patrol, Lexi always thought back to her first day at the ZPD, as it was a very memorable day.

* * *

 _Three Months Ago, 7:00 AM_

 _BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!_

The dreaded sound of an alarm clock filled the room of a small apartment in a building by the boarder of the Rainforest District and Savannah Central. The sound of the alarm had ambushed a young chinchilla's ears. As she glanced at the clock, her eyes grew wide. She had overslept on her first day at her new job! As fast as she could, Lexi jumped out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom to get ready. After half an hour, she rushed to catch the train and arrived at Precinct One by 8:15 AM. Once Lexi arrived at the footsteps, she realized one thing.

She forgot to eat breakfast.

Lexi groaned inward as she realized that in her haste, she forgot to eat the most important meal of the day. However, if she ran to the nearest coffeeshop for five minutes, she would then _be_ late. In the end, it was easier for her to skip breakfast than to be late.

* * *

It took a while, but Lexi found the briefing room within ten minutes, thanks to Clawhauser's assistance. When she opened the door to the briefing room, she was greeted by the common chatter amongst her new coworkers. She was completely amazed by everything and by the different mammals in the room. Then, she heard her name being called out by two different voices. Once she turned toward the source of the voices, she was astonished by _who_ was calling out to her. It was from her idols Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde! _They_ were calling her over!

Once Lexi was thinking straight, she headed towards the front and sat down in the empty chair beside the famous duo.

"Hi Lexi!" Judy greeted her.

"Y-you know my name?" Lexi asked. Inside though, she mentally scolded herself. _Way to make a first impression_.

"Of course. It's not everyday that a chinchilla becomes a police officer. You made the news, so how is it possible _not_ to hear of your accomplishment?" Nick explained. "By the way, I'm- "

"I know who you both are!" Lexi interrupted. The duo was slightly shocked by the sudden amplification of the chinchilla's voice. "You guys are _the_ Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde: Zootopia's heroes! I looked up to both of you while I underwent training at the academy! You guys had inspired me to keep moving forward in my training. I tend to ramble on and on very quickly when I'm very excited, which I seem to be doing right now. I'm so sorry."

Said duo look impressed by not only Lexi's ability to talk rapidly, but also for having inspired another mammal who was well, vertically challenged.

Once they overcame the initial shock from Lexi's rant, Judy spoke up. "Why thank you! It's always nice to know that we inspired you to keep going in your pursuit to be a cop!"

"Atten-hut!" Officer Higgens shouted across the room.

The banging of the desk and shouting "hut" in union astonished Lexi. But said astonishment grew when Chief Bogo entered the room.

"Alright, alright. Everyone sit down!" he shouted. The other officers did as they were told. Once everyone was settled, he continued speaking. "We have some new recruits with us today, including our first chinchilla officer. Well, who cares?"

"The offer to start you own line of greeting cards is still on the table sir!" Nick called out.

"Shut it Wilde!" Bogo fired back at the fox while glaring at him.

The room was soon filled with laughter because of Nick's remark about Chief Bogo's "warm welcome to the new recruits. His signature smirk was plastered on his face.

Among the laughter, Lexi whispered "How often does he do this?"

"Thankfully not every day. It would be hard to deal with this daily," Judy replied.

Once everyone settled down, Bogo continued with his announcements. "Assignments. Officers Grizzoli, Fangmeyer, Delgato: Tundratown SWAT. Snarlov, Higgins, Wolfard: investigate the suspicious activity in the Canal District. Clawhauser will give you the case file. Hopps, Wilde: you will show Aries the ropes by taking her on patrol with you. Dismissed."

Everyone has left the briefing room to start their assignments as soon as Bogo dismissed them. In order to avoid being trampled over, Judy, Nick, and Lexi waited until the room was empty so they could head to the parking lot.

Once the last person left, Judy said "Come on Lexi. We'll show you where to get the keys to the cruiser and where the cruiser is."

"Are you ready to start the first day of your new life?" Nick asked Lexi.

"I am so ready and so excited to start working with you guys!" Lexi replied enthusiastically.

"Alright, well let's get going!" Judy called out as she walked out of the room.

* * *

"Are we ready to go?"

"Ready!" Nick and Lexi simultaneously responded to Judy's question before pulling out of the parking lot. After two seconds, Nick decided to ignite a conversation.

"So, why did you decide to be a cop?" he asked.

"I dunno. I went through so many career choices as a kit. I settled on being a lawyer when I was twelve. However, I was more interested in solving crimes and bringing justice. By the time I graduated from high school, I decided that I want to be a cop," Lexi replied before asking "What about you guys?"

Same reason as you Lexi. I wanted to serve and protect Zootopia by soling crimes and bringing justice," Judy answered.

"Nice! What about you Nick?"

"I owe it all to Carrots for wanting to be a cop," was Nick's response.

"Carrots?"

"It's his nickname for me," Judy replied to Lexi's question before Nick could.

"Anyways, she changed me for the better. I…I am not very proud of what I did before," he continued.

"What? Why?" Lexi asked.

Nick sighed before explaining to Lexi about how the incident with the Junior Ranger scouts had shattered his optimism and how it was all downhill from there. Then, he mentioned how he became a con artist when he was 12 and how Judy helped guide him in the right direction after the Night Howler Case. Lexi listened intently to his story. She couldn't believe what he was saying. One of her idols had faced harsh speciesism and it took a great friend to pull him out of the dark.

"Wow. I never knew this," was all Lexi was able to say.

"It's all good now. I turned over a new leaf and I am truly happy," Nick said.

The first half of the patrol went on with conversations about their interests and pointing out some things that they had in common. This all was halted when they encountered a bear running away with a purse and a lioness shouting after him.

"Looks like we have to go after him," Nick stated.

The three officers got out of the cruiser and went after the purse thief.

"Freeze!" Nick shouted. However, the bear only picked up the pace as he saw the three officers run after him.

Lexi came up with an idea as she remembered from her training that this needed to be radioed in and went back to the cruiser. _I hope this goes well._ "Officer Aries to dispatch. Officers Hopps, Wilde, and I have a 10-32 at the plaza."

"10-04," a voice replied.

Once she received the reply, she drove the cruiser to catch up with the bear and the duo trying to get him to slow down. When Lexi reached the following intersection, she turned right and stopped by the corner. The bear realized this a moment too late because the chinchilla heard a thud and saw the bear's face by the side windows.

Once Judy and Nick caught up to the bear, there was no escape for him as they placed the pawcuffs and read the Miranda Rights to him.

"Lexi, that was amazing!" Judy exclaimed at the chinchilla who was getting out of the car.

"Thanks. I remembered that we had to radio this in to dispatch and I had the idea to block him off at the nearest intersection. With you guys running behind him, it was safe to say that he would look back and run straight ahead," Lexi stated.

"Well then, let's get this guy to the precinct after giving back the purse to the lioness," Nick said.

* * *

Lunch was literally the best part for Lexi, especially since she hadn't eaten all day due to her morning rush. After they booked the bear, it turned out to be the trio's lunch hour. The three decided to go to a local café for lunch. While they were there, they were discussing the pursuit from early on.

"…And then the bear woke up and wondered what he was doing in the back of a cop car. His facial expression was priceless!" Nick commented on a moment that occurred while they were driving back to the precinct.

"At least he didn't try to make a dramatic escape," Judy mentioned, recalling a moment when an unconscious suspect ended up doing just that, which led to her and Nick having to chase him for several city blocks.

"Overall, it was very interesting. I can't believe I made my first arrest with you guys!" Lexi said ecstatically.

Judy and Nick exchanged a glance and they seem to have nodded in agreement. "Lexi, this may seem like it's too soon to say, but we have seen what you have been capable of. The plan to cut off the bear's path to freedom was amazing! And there's something we wanted to tell you," Judy started off saying.

The chinchilla listened intently at what the duo had to say to her.

"Would you like to work with us and form a trio?"

This was enough for Lexi to start screaming "yes" repeatedly, as well as starting off in the right direction in her career.

And this also was the start of a new friendship amongst the three mammals.

* * *

 _Present Day, 10:32 AM_

As Lexi was pulled into the present, she realized that she should be very thankful for the past three months. From day one, Judy and Nick had taken her under their wing and became a crime fighting trio. They were her only true friends after so many years. Being assigned to Precinct One and having them teach her the algorithm of the ZPD was one of the best things that had ever happened to Lexi.

And she wouldn't have traded it for anything.

As Lexi looked out the window, she saw a suspicious figure inside a jewelry store, stuffing jewelry inside their purse. And the figure was by itself.

"Uh guys? There's a robbery going on at that jewelry store!" Lexi said.

"WHAT?!" Judy and Nick exclaimed in union as the car halted to a stop.

"You guys get into position while I'll radio this in," Judy instructed the others while grabbing the radio. "Unit 10 to dispatch. We have a 10-66 in a jewelry store in Savannah Central."

"10-04," the voice from the radio responded.

Once the trio was positioned for a raid, Judy started out the count to start the raid. "One…two…THREE!"

The doors flew open as the team went in.

"ZPD!" Lexi shouted.

Once inside, the trio was encountered with what seemed to be a chinchilla in a face mask. She dropped the purse with jewelry and bolted for the back of the store.

"Come back here!" Lexi screamed as she bolted after the masked chinchilla, with Judy and Nick trailing after her.

The path was blocked by boxes of jewelry and machinery. The four mammals had to be aware of these obstacles that they had to dodge and jump over. Once they reached the other end of the building, the masked chinchilla encountered a dead end. Fortunately, Lexi caught her before she could escape.

"Show yourself!" Lexi shouted.

The masked chinchilla grunted before pulling off her mask and revealing her identity the officers present. However, Lexi knew this mammal very well and was shocked by who it was.

"Shay?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I am going to be posting as much as I can today. If you are new, I started typing the story on AO3 in mid-July, which means I have 6 chapters under my belt to post on here. I'll explain what happens later on so I won't overwhelm you too soon.  
** **And now for the Police Code key in the order they appeared in this chapter  
** **10-32: Pursuing suspect (This appeared in the film, so yeah)  
** **10-66: Breaking and Entering of Business  
** **10-04: Acknowledged  
Well, I'll get those other chapters out in a moment and enjoy the story!**


	3. Chapter 3: Secrets Unraveling

**Chapter 3: Secrets Unraveling**

"Shay?!" The shock was very evident on Judy and Nick's facial expressions as well as the tone of their voice. Both were asking themselves one question: _How does Lexi know this mammal?_

"Hello Lexi. So nice seeing you again after all these years," Shay said bitterly.

Overcoming initial shock and wanting answers, Judy decided to ask. "Lexi, who is this chinchilla?"

Lexi sighed. There's no way out this time. "Judy, Nick, meet Shay Aries…" Lexi gulped before finishing the sentence. "…my cousin."

"Your COUSIN?!" Nick exclaimed rather loudly, which earned him an elbow-to-the-rib from Judy, which caused the tod to yelp in pain.

The exclamation did no good for Lexi, who was starting to feel very queasy inside as her worst nightmare was starting to unfold right in front of her. "Yep. She's my youngest cousin. We grew to be very distant ever since I went to college."

"All because you decided to betray your own family to become a cop!" Shay fired at her older cousin.

"'Betray your family?'" Judy asked with a hint of uncertainty.

Lexi sighed once again. "My family gets involved in some misdemeanors and into traffic violations. The worst that someone in my family did was get a DUI."

"So, you 'betrayed' your family by becoming a cop? No offence to anyone, but I don't see how Lexi offended her family," Nick commented.

"You think that's _all_ the crimes we had committed?" Shay mockingly asked. This caused the trio to exchange glances. She scoffed before continuing. "You are so naïve and oblivious, Lexi."

Before Lexi could come up with something to say, she heard some sort of muffled sound. To her, it seemed very faint. Judy must had picked up the same sound more clearly since she asked everyone "Hey, does anyone hear some sort of muffling sound?"

"I hear it, but it's kind of faint," Lexi replied.

"It sounds like it's coming from…there!" After pointing towards the source of the sound, Judy went towards the front of the storage room with everyone trailing behind her before encountering a tied-up meerkat. Seeing how she was the only other person there, Judy assumed she was the store owner.

While Nick unties the meerkat, Lexi asks Shay "You did this?"

"I had to. How else am I supposed to rob the place?" She replied with indifference.

The whole scene was unfolding in front of Lexi. _Her_ cousin had tied up an innocent mammal and attempted to rob her jewelry shop.

And she may not be the only criminal in her family.

Judy must have noticed Lexi's expression and silence because she came up to her. "So, do you want to read her rights? That is if you feel comfortable."

"I don't know if I can," was the only thing Lexi could say.

"If you say so." Judy whisked away a reluctant Shay to the cruiser as the rabbit officer read the chinchilla her rights.

Once Nick finished interviewing the meerkat, he went up to Lexi. "So, the shopkeeper will be okay as Shay did not cause any serious injuries, although she will go to the doctor for a checkup once reinforcements arrive."

"I'm glad she's okay. I still can't believe Shay would do such a thing!" Lexi sighed as she thought of every possible motive her cousin had to rob the meerkat's jewelry shop.

"Speaking of which, what did she mean about not knowing the other things your family has done before we found a shopkeeper in distress?"

Lexi shrugged. "I don't know. The only way we'll know is if we interrogate her. But for now, let's go get Shay booked."

* * *

Once Shay was booked, the trio were authorized to interrogate her. For all they know, Shay was hiding something from them, including her cousin.

"So, Shay. You stand accused of holding a mammal hostage and attempting to rob her jewelry shop. Why is that?" Nick asked.

"It won't matter anyways, so I might just tell you. I was trying to be recognized by the Grazers, so I can join the gang. If I succeeded, I would get in," Shay responded.

"You do realize that all of the remaining members of the Grazers were arrested three days ago, right?" Judy imposed.

Shay groaned. "Fine! Ya got me! The heist was originally to get into the gang. However, once I realized that they were fully dissolved, I chose not to cancel the heist because I needed some cash. One reason to join the Grazers was for cash."

"You know, another way to get some cash is by, ya know, getting a job!" Lexi exclaimed.

"Like I said, you are so naïve cuz. You don't even know what goes on in your own family!" Shay fired back.

"Do explain," Nick inquired.

"Can't. I'm sworn to secrecy."

"Miss Aries, if you don't explain yourself, you could stay in jail for much longer," Judy pointed out.

"You three don't scare me. Besides, I am more loyal to my family than someone that I know.

Lexi's eyes were filled with rage. This was the final straw. "It doesn't matter! You need to do what's right!"

"Like you would know. You abandoned your family! To be a cop!"

"And you wonder why I remained in contact with my parents and not you! Tell me please! I need to know!"

"Never!"

"Enough!" Both chinchillas stopped and turned to face Judy. "I am sick and tired of hearing you two having a shouting match with each other! Lexi, we always taught you to be calm when interrogating a suspect and to _never_ engage in a shouting match with them!" Hearing the disappointment oozing from her partner's voice, Lexi looked at the ground in shame. She had _never_ heard Judy reprimand _anyone_ before, which made her feel even worse. "And Shay, you need to tell us the secret that your family is hiding. You have been giving us the suspicion that something fishy is going on. As far as I know, things aren't going in your favor. Your situation would be much better if you tell us something."

Shay grimaced as she realized that no matter what, the outcome will not work in her favor. _Time to give in, I guess._ "Alright, fine! I'm only gonna say this because I'm nice and I am going to be in deep trouble with my family either way. Now I can't say much because I am sworn to secrecy and personally, this is all I know, and I can't confirm it.

"Beware of several members of the Aries family, especially the second cousins. You cannot trust them because they are ruthless and take part of more serious crimes. The chinchilla you arrested three days ago in relation to the Grazers? That's my brother Mike. You didn't recognize him because he's changed drastically five years ago. It's no use interrogating him, as he knows pretty much the same thing as me, if not less. Then, there are family members who were once accomplices of murder. Be cautious of them. In fact, you will get more info by interrogating Mindy and Frank Aries."

"Wait, my parents?!" Lexi exclaimed.

"Like I said countless times Lexi, you're so naïve. The only crimes you know our family committed were over twenty parking violations, seven misdemeanors, and a DUI when there was so much going on behind the scenes. Your parents may have stayed away from the crime life, but that doesn't mean that they have zero knowledge of what the rest of the family did." Shay looked at Lexi and smirked when she saw her cousin's horrified expression.

Judy and Nick had puzzled expressions and turned to face Lexi, who couldn't come up with anything to say regardless of the situation.

* * *

After wrapping up their interrogation, the trio went out to lunch. Neither of them said a word as they were still in shock at Shay's statements. What seemed like a petty robbery had turned into something bigger.

Lexi finally decided to break the eerie silence. "This is why it's so hard for me to talk about my family. And I am aware that I need to explain myself."

Her teammates look up at her. They were going to have to talk about the interrogation sooner or later.

"Listen, I-" Lexi started.

"Lexi, you do not have to apologize for your family's actions. Whatever they are doing? We're not sure-yet. But this is not your fault! You are not responsible for your family's actions. And besides, you only knew about the minor stuff… and one thing that was serious." Once she finished her small speech, Judy reached out for her glass of water.

Lexi looked down as she sighed. This was too much for her to take in. "It's not just that. The fact that my parents are involved in this as bystanders makes me feel like another family member involved in this. I-" Lexi sighed before continuing, "I feel betrayed. All my life, I had a gut feeling saying to not trust my family because of what they did. When I decided to become a cop, I decided to disconnect myself from them to focus on my future. But no one told me that I was part of a family that engages in such illegal activities!"

Judy and Nick exchanged worried glances before Nick spoke up. "Lexi, I know what it's to have secrets hidden from."

"Ahem!" Nick and Lexi turned to face Judy, who had an unamused expression. "Nick, as far as I'm concerned, _you're_ the one that keeps secrets."

"Okay, maybe I don't know exactly how Lexi feels since _I'm_ the one that keeps secrets from others, but I could imagine how someone feels when I don't tell them anything Carrots." Nick turns to face Lexi before continuing. "They want answers. And that's exactly what we are going to do."

"You don't mean…?" A sense of dread overcomes Lexi.

"Yup. We'll go to your parent's house and get the answers we need."

"I would argue, but Shay _did_ suggest talking to them as part of our investigation." Judy implied.

"Alright. Once we get our signal, I'll give you the location," Lexi said

* * *

Tundratown is one of the coldest districts in Zootopia. It is also home to Mindy and Frank Aries. Their apartment is located several minutes away from the main plaza and from the other districts. They lived the farthest away from the rest of the Aries family once Frank earned a better job by the district's plaza at Fishtown Market as a delivery. Mindy found a great job as a tailor in Savannah Central when she first moved to Zootopia. And they lived in Tundratown for as long as Lexi could remember.

As Judy, Nick, and Lexi arrived at the chinchilla's childhood home, they didn't know what to expect. This was the worst way for Lexi to introduce her friends to her parents. Then, there was the fact that the trio had to interrogate the parents about their family member's criminal activity.

 _Why me? Why does this have to happen today?_ Another wave of dread overcame Lexi overcame Lexi as they approached the front of the apartment building.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a paw on her shoulder. She turned to face Judy. "Lexi, no matter what happens or what we uncover, just know that nothing could ever change our partnership or our friendship."

"I agree. We will always the three Musketeers: all for one and one for all!" The girls stifled a laugh at Nick's cheesiness. Then he tuned to Lexi with a serious expression. "You ready to uncover your family's secrets?"

Lexi sighed. This was not her day. She saw her own cousin rob a jewelry shop and hold the owner hostage. She learned that her family was involved in more serious crimes. She learned that her parents _knew_ about this. Then there's what her parents will say.

But she needs to know.

"I guess I'm ready," Lexi said.

She guided her friends towards apartment 3C and ringed the doorbell. The trio exchanged glances with each other. As they did so, they shared one thing in common.

They were all worried.

The door was opened moments later, and two older chinchillas appeared by the doorway. If there's one word to describe their expressions, it would be surprised.

"Good afternoon. My name is Officer Judy Hopps and I am here with my partners Officers Nick Wilde and Lexi Aries. We're here to ask a few questions regarding an ongoing investigation. Are you Frank and Mindy Aries?" Judy started off.

Both chinchillas were surprised when they heard three familiar names. The taller chinchilla asked in his deep voice "Wait, is my daughter with you? Lexi are you here?"

Lexi walked in front of her colleagues and faced her parents. "Hi mom, hi dad."

"I guess that answers my question," Judy mumbled to herself.

"Lexi, it's so good to see you after so long!" The shorter chinchilla exclaims joyfully as she embraces her daughter before pulling her away. "Wait, what's wrong? Are we being charged with something? Please come in!"

The trio enter the apartment and observe their surroundings. They observe their family photos. There was a family photo that included Lexi, her parents, and what Judy assumed was her younger brother.

"You have a lovely home," she said.

"Why thank you darling! We try," Mindy said.

"Now back on the reason why we're here-" Judy started off.

"Wait, where are our manners? Would you like something to drink?" Frank asked, cutting off Judy in mid-sentence.

"Um, no thank you," Judy replied.

"It's okay dad," Lexi responded.

"I wonder if you have coffee-OW!" Nick yelped as Judy's elbow had met his ribs, again.

"Nick focus!" Judy chastised him. "We're here as part of an investigation!"

"But they offered Carrots! And this is the second interrogation we have done all day!" Nick pleaded.

"It's okay guys. They usually have some leftover coffee from this morning in the steamed pot. Start asking them questions while I boil it," Lexi suggested as she got up and headed to the kitchen.

"Alright. Now that that's cleared up, we are here due to an ongoing investigation. Your niece Shay Aries has been arrested for breaking and entering a jewelry shop and for holding the shopkeeper hostage." Judy continued.

"See Frank? I knew Shay was part of that side of the family!" Mindy exclaimed.

By then, Lexi sat down in the living room and handed the cup of coffee to Nick, who thanked her before speaking up. "Now we would call her parents and notify them about the incident, but when we interrogated her, she mentioned something about the Aries family being involved in more serious crimes and mentioned that we should come to you for more information."

Frank and Mindy exchanged nervous glances before facing the three officers in front of them. "H-How did you know about that?" Frank asked.

"Mom, dad, please don't tell me it's true? Shay told us during the interrogation and I-I thought she was joking. Tell me she's joking!" Lexi pleaded.

"Frank, I think it's time she knows," Mindy suggested. "We could be charged with obstructing a police investigation if we deny the truth. I'm sure that they will understand."

"What truth? Who will understand what?" Lexi's eyes are starting to fill with fear.

"I am a bit worried about what they would do to us," Frank stated.

"You will be eligible for surveillance and remain anonymous," Judy implied.

"Honey, she's old enough to know now," Mindy stated

"Old enough for what?" The fear was starting to consume Lexi that her voice was giving it all away.

"Frank, we need to show them the box."

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** **Hello everyone and happy...whatever day of the week it is. So as you all have read, yes there is a box involved in the story (Hence the story title is called "Box of Secrets"). This chapter is a bit lengthy and easy to write because this was the point of the story that inspired me to write this particular fanfic. In addition, this is the point of the story where you finally know what's going on and answered the question that you all have been asking in your head:  
"What is Lexi's family secret and why is she always reluctant to discuss them?"  
The answers will go more in detail as the story moves forward and... well, you just need to keep reading to find out because I ain't telling you now!  
Once again, thank you for choosing to read my fanfic and thank you for all of your support on here and may this story prosper!**


	4. Chapter 4: Box of Secrets

**Chapter 4: Box of Secrets**

"There's a box involved in this too?!" Lexi's exclamation was so loud, the whole neighborhood could have heard her. And it did no good for the mammals right in front of her. Realizing everyone was covering their ears, Lexi cleared her throat and continued in an eerily calm voice. "So, how long did the box exist for?"

All eyes were on Frank and Mindy, who felt so small they might as well live in Little Rodentia comfortably. Based on her reaction when she learned about the box about thirty seconds ago, odds are she will not take the rest of the news very well.

For now, someone must answer her question and the parents decided it was best if Mindy responded. "For uh…" She gulped before continuing. "…twenty-four years?"

"What?! It's the same age as me?!" If Lexi wasn't angry already, she would be now.

"You mean to tell us that this criminal record amongst the Aries family started 24 years ago?" Judy asked as she took out her note pad.

"I wonder how the Aries family hasn't turned themselves into a mafia yet," Nick mumbled, which earned him a glare from Lexi.

"Um, not exactly officers. It was originally created to keep records of traffic violations that the other family members obtained. Before moving to Tundratown, we lived in the same apartment building in Happytown," Frank responded.

"Oh. Happytown." Nick frowned when he heard the name of his hometown. The small town did not live up to its name and its one of the city's cheapest areas for obvious reasons. _Well, at least Lexi managed to grow up in Tundratown._

"Anyways, we moved out two months after Lexi was born. By then, the family managed to obtain two parking violations. Seven years later, there were over five traffic violations, along with a misdemeanor, and a major crime involving a petty store robbery."

"What?!" the trio exclaimed.

"That reminds me, Lexi found the box while playing hide-and-seek with her cousins Shay and Ellie," Mindy added to her testimony.

Before Lexi could say anything, she went through a quick flashback.

* * *

 _Seventeen years ago_

"Thirty-nine, forty! Ready or not, here I come!" Lexi's voice boomed around her family's apartment in Tundratown. She was in the middle of a traditional game of hide-and-seek with 2-year-old Shay and 9-year-old Ellie. The three girls at the time were more than cousins – they were best friends. Ellie kept everyone in check, Lexi was a huge ball of energy, and Shay was with them because little kits like to follow the big kits.

Lexi went to the storage compartment in the kitchen and found Ellie hidden behind the fruit basket.

"Found you Ellie!" Lexi said eagerly.

"Aw man! I could never hide from you Lexi. You always seemed to find me," Ellie whined.

"But you're taller than me!"

"Lexi, we're literally the same height,"

"Well come on! We need to find Shay!" Lexi ran off while Ellie trailed behind her, chuckling at her younger cousin's energy level.

Both girls couldn't find Shay for ten minutes. They searched the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom (for some weird reason), and Lexi's bedroom, but couldn't find her.

"Where could she be? I'll be in so much trouble if I lost her!" Ellie whimpered at the situation.

"I think she hid in the off-limits hiding spot," Lexi said as she pointed to a room that was strictly off-limits to guests when they come over.

"Her parents' bedroom

The cousins slowly opened the door and tip-toed inside the large bedroom. Ellie was in awe when she looked around the room. The blue and white color scheme on the walls was very appealing and pretty. The white furniture added to the appealing element. To Ellie, it was a wonderful sight to see.

Then, there was a muffled sound coming from the closet.

Ellie and Lexi exchanged glances as they slowly approached the large closet. When Lexi slid the door open, she was bewildered by what she saw.

Shay was in the closet with a box labeled 'DO NOT TOUCH' in marker.

"What is this?" Lexi wondered.

"I don't know. Let's get out of here before we get caught!" Ellie grabbed Shay and headed straight to the door, only to turn around and see Lexi still staring at the box. "Uh Lexi, I think we should head out now…"

"I want to open it," Lexi said.

"Seriously cuz, I think we should leave it alone." As Ellie reached out for the doorknob, Frank and Mindy entered the room.

And they were not satisfied at what they saw.

"What are you kids doing here? We've always told you to hide somewhere else other than our room!" Mindy scolded. Then she noticed the box in the closet. "Wait a minute, what is that box doing there?"

"You see, the thing was uh, Shay decided to um, hide here, I-I-I…" Ellie trailed off in mid-explanation.

"I have a question!" All eyes turned towards Lexi once she spoke. Once she had everyone's attention, she continued. "What is this box for?"

Mindy and Frank exchanged expressions. They were _not_ going to explain the box to the children. Frank then spoke up. "Honey, there's nothing inside that box. It needs to be in mint condition." His expression then turned serious. "Now, your mom and I would normally have a talking to when this happens, but clearly you and your cousins found a box that we would not want you to touch. So, we would have to ground you for a school week once your cousins go home and all of you will have to stay in the living room."

"Aww!" the kits whined.

"But no fear. Who wants to play a board game?" Frank suggested eagerly.

"Yay!" the kits screamed eagerly as they ran to the living room. Mindy followed them while Frank stayed behind before joining them moments later.

* * *

 _Present Day_

"Uh Lexi? Are you okay?" Judy asked with concern.

"Huh?" Lexi observed her surroundings and saw herself in the living room, her parents appearing slightly older than they were in the flashback and saw Judy and Nick to her right. All it took were these observations to realize that she returned to the present. "Oh, I'm fine. I just spaced out for a bit, recalling an old memory. Which reminds me, I got grounded for finding a box in the closet!"

"While the punishment was a bit unusual, we already know about that," Nick stated.

"What? How?"

"Your parents told us the story while you viewed the flashback. They also told us that we can trust your cousin Ellie."

Lexi turned to face her parents. "Was that the box that holds our family's secrets?"

"It…was," Mindy responded.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me?

"Honey, you were only seven and Ellie was nine. How could we explain to three little kits that their extended family had an ongoing criminal record?" Frank argued.

"When did you plan to tell me?" Lexi asked while crossing her arms.

"Uh, well…" Frank trailed off.

"Seriously?"

"It's quite complicated."

"Pardon me for interrupting, but may we please see this box that we talked about but haven't seen?" Judy asked.

The chinchilla pair exchanged glances. "Well, we told them about it. Might as well show them what's inside," Mindy told Frank.

"And this is an ongoing investigation. Everyone follow me!" Frank stood up and guided everyone to the room.

* * *

"This room is so lovely!" Judy complimented as she grabbed a pawful of clothing racks and settling them on the bed.

"Why thank you darling!" Mindy responded while pulling out a plastic drawer.

Even though Frank and Mindy agreed to show them the box, the group ran into a tiny setback. The chinchilla couple had it so hidden, they needed to empty out the closet for the umpteenth time. The five mammals had to move a file cabinet filled with the family's important documents, a dresser, bags of old clothing, and a ton of clothing on racks.

They appeared to be halfway done emptying the closet when they heard the front door open and close, followed by a voice calling out. "Mom? Dad? Are you here?

"We're here!" Mindy shouted.

Moments later, a chinchilla kit who appeared to be in his teens entered the room, wearing a yellow T-shirt like the one his parents wore. "Hi Mom, hi Dad." He turned to face Lexi and his expression changed from a soft expression into one of pure disgust. "Nice to see you again, traitor."

Lexi sighed. "Please Leo. Can we not fight?"

"I don't know. You betrayed our family!"

"Leo!" Mindy scolded her son as she did not want them to argue. "Be nice to your sister! She is not a traitor." She went up to Leo and glanced at Nick and Judy. "Besides, we have guests

Leo glanced at said fox and rabbit. "Who are they?"

 _How many introductions will I have to make in one day?_ Lexi sighed for the hundredth time today before introducing her brother to her friends and vice versa. "Leo, these are my friends from work Judy and Nick." She indicates her brother who's who before continuing. "Judy, Nick, this is my brother Leo."

"Ah, so you're the one who likes the smoothies that Lexi buys," Nick said as he waved at the chinchilla kit.

Leo grabs Lexi by the arm and whispered. "How does he know?"

"I finally won a bet and explained how I felt each time I lost since once upon a time, I used to pay for your smoothies." Once she was done with her explanation, Lexi spoke at a normal volume. "What I would like to know is _how_ do you know that the family sees me as a traitor?"

Frank interjected their conversation. "You see, when you moved out to attend Zootopia University, the family always talked bad about you whenever we visited. Your brother overheard them, and we had to tell him."

"Unbelievable. My brother is fifteen and he knows more than I do, and he took their side?" Lexi scoffed at the thought. Despite having their differences as kits, Leo had respect for Lexi and vice versa. He even supported her decision to become a cop when he was nine, but she lost touch with him ever since she went to the academy. _Apparently, the power of 50 family members was stronger than the power of a mom, a dad, and an older sister._

"Hey! I think we found the box with the family's criminal record!" Nick called out.

The chinchilla family turned to face Nick, who stood behind the infamous box labeled 'DO NOT TOUCH'. Everyone turned to face Lexi, who looked like she was going to pass out.

"So, we ready to open this box?" Nick asked his colleagues.

"Sis, that box will make you regret your life choices," Leo called out.

"Lexi are you sure you'll be okay?" Judy asked with concern.

Lexi stared at the box for a moment. She felt like the seven-year-old chinchilla from seventeen years ago. The kit was curious about what was inside of the box. She did not get the answers she expected. After 24 years of being lied to. After 24 years of secrets and sneaking around. After wondering why her family did not support her dreams. She will now know.

It was time for proper answers.

"Let's open it," she stated.

The trio slowly approached the box and opened the flaps gently. As they peeked inside, their nervous expressions changed into ones of complete and utter shock. They each took several records and could not believe what they are seeing. Aside from the minor things they did, the Aries family dealt with more serious crimes – and most have gotten away with it. There were over 20 robberies, not including Shay's. Five family members – a cousin and four second cousins in relation to Lexi – had been admitted into gangs, with Mike being the only one caught. Two second cousins were involved in selling things on the black market. Five family members had committed murder, which made Lexi feel very queasy inside. Then, there was something in the box, but seemed normal: a very successful business owned by Lexi's second cousin whose name starts with D.

"Oh wow," Judy gasped.

"I…I need a minute," Lexi said as she left the room, while everyone went after her with worry.

"Lexi let us explain-" Frank started.

"Explain what? That our family had committed very serious crimes and they got away with it? And that you hid this information from me? From the authorities? Lots of lives were affected because our family's wrongdoings! And everyone had the nerve to say that _I'm_ the selfish one!

"All my life, I strived to be the best that I can be. All because you guys told me to do so! But then I learn that the grand majority happened to be full-on criminals! Do you have _any_ idea how that makes me feel? _Do_ you?" Lexi started to breathe very sharply as she waited for an answer. Her parents look down in shame as their daughter glared at them. She then continued. "Guilty! I feel guilty! And I'm not even involved in their sins! All it takes is for me to be kept in the dark for my whole life to feel guilty for something that someone else did!

"Everyday, I call myself an officer that will help make the world a better place and I wear my badge with pride. But it turns out, my family's crimes outweigh the good that I do since I am supposed to protect the city and I can't even protect it from my own family since they are never caught, and they get away with their actions!"

Everyone in the room looked appalled and intimidated by the time Lexi finished her rant. No one could blame her for it though. Frank and Mindy had lied to Lexi for her entire life. Leo already knew about what his family had done. And while Judy and Nick may not fully understand what Lexi is going through, with Nick being the one to _keep_ secrets in the past and Judy had zero experience with family secrets herself, both understood the gravity of the situation and why Lexi reacted this way.

"Listen, we know that you're upset and all, but let's talk about it. We're willing to answer any questions now." Mindy calmly said.

"Talk about what? I _wanted_ to talk when I was seven. You could have told me then 'Lexi, how about we talk about the box when you're much older?' I feel betrayed Mom. Everyone called me a traitor to the family and no one told me why!" Lexi inhaled sharply to fight back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. "What hurts even more is that you guys planned to _never_ mention this. I trusted everyone in my family. _Trusted_! Now…I don't think I even know anyone anymore."

"Lexi, we were gonna tell you, but-" Frank started.

"But _when_? When I retired? Because we _never_ had this conversation in the past!"

"Sis, they were going to tell us when we each turned eighteen," Leo argued.

"But what happened? For goodness sake, I'm 24! 24! You should have told me 6 years ago! And-and Leo was supposed to learn about this three years from now!"

"Lexi, I think we all need to calm down," Judy suggested.

"Calm down? Calm down?! I am far from being calm!" Lexi's expression softened when she noticed her friend's fearful expression. _What have I done?_ She sighed once again. "Judy, I-I'm so sorry. I know you were just trying to help and I-I just lashed out at you for no reason. I'm sorry to you too, Nick."

"We may not fully know exactly how you feel, but we do understand why you feel this way. All's in forgiveness," Judy calmly stated.

"I'll hand it to you. Most mammals will react this way too," Nick added.

Seeing the trio reconcile, Frank made the big mistake to simply ask for mercy. "So, now that we're forgiving each other and apologizing-"

Nick, Judy, and Leo tried to silently warn Frank by shaking their heads by mouthing the words "No" repeatedly, but it was too late. Lexi realized what he was trying to say, and she will not let them get away easily.

"No. You're not gonna try to beg for mercy, are you? Because if I recall correctly, the only one that is suffering from all these lies is me. Just because my friends and I reconciled doesn't mean that I'm gonna leave you and Mom off the hook."

"Lexi, we're really sorry for not saying anything sooner," Mindy said with full remorse.

"Oh, okay. I'll think about it," she said sarcastically.

"Please Lexi, that is not fair."

"What's not fair is being lied to for 24 years!" Lexi sighed. "You know what? I need a break. Judy, Nick, if I'm needed for anything, I'll be inside the cruiser. As for my wonderful family, good day!" She headed towards the front door after saluting her family farewell.

"Wait Lexi, we're not gonna continue working this out as a family?" Frank asked.

"Nope. Who knows, maybe when I'm older," Lexi sarcastically replied.

"Um Lexi, what about the investigation?" Judy asked, hoping that her friend's sanity would return. But it was too late.

The question hung around as Lexi walked out of the apartment.

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** **Uh-oh! I wonder what will happen to Lexi's relationship with her parents.  
** **Once again, thank you all so much for choosing to read my story!**


	5. Chapter 5: Dangers of Knowing

**Chapter 5: Dangers of Knowing**

"Well, that just happened," Judy stated as she stared at the front door along with Nick, Frank, Mindy, and Leo. All of them had puzzled expressions written in their faces.

After five minutes, Leo decided to excuse himself. "I'm…gonna go now. I have to start my homework."

"Since when did you start doing your homework?" Mindy asked her son with a raised eyebrow. "We constantly have to remind you to do so."

Leo shrugged. "I dunno. I-I just have a lot of homework."

The adults watched as Leo headed for his room to supposedly start his homework. "And he left," Mindy mumbled. She turned to face Frank. "What have we done?"

"Well, let him do his homework. We'll check up on him soon," Frank responded.

"Not about Leo! I'm talking about Lexi!"

"Umm…"

"I think we should give her some time to cool off." Everyone turned to face Judy before she continued. "But first, we have an ongoing interrogation to complete. Why did you withhold this information from your daughter and the authorities?"

Frank and Mindy exchanged glances. "Might as well give them every single detail," Mindy said. "After all, we are already in trouble."

"Fair enough. When we first moved to Zootopia, we had very little. We were so focused on making a living that we didn't know what everyone else was up to. We kept track of the minor things our family has done, which is why we had the box in the first place. The first serious crime our family committed was seventeen years ago. We found out when our niece Lola and her husband's daughter Daniella wore a ton of expensive jewelry. That's when we realized that Lola and her husband James were involved in the most recent and successful jewelry heist. We confronted them about it, but they threatened to cause harm to our family," Frank explained.

"What type of harm?" Judy asks as she recorded their testimony on her notepad.

"All kinds. They said that if we said something, we would lose everything we worked hard to obtain. Little by little, they would make our lives miserable. They threatened to kill us afterwards! How could we speak out if our lives were on the line? Our daughter could have ended up as an orphan!

"Things only got worse since then. The rest of the family got involved in this lifestyle and we were threatened under the same terms. When Leo was born, Mindy and I made a promise to tell the children about our family when they turned 18 so they could shield themselves from them. We also depended on Lexi to tell the authorities without putting us all in danger since by then, she would have better knowledge on Zootopia's legal system to help us."

"But what happened? Why did you break this promise and kept it a secret from Lexi for 6 more years, only coming out as part of an interrogation?" Nick interjected.

"By the time Lexi turned twelve, she wanted to be a lawyer, so she applied for the 'Criminal Law' major at Sahara Tech,"

"No wonder why Lexi knows how to read blueprints. Very prestigious STEM school," Nick commented.

"I don't see how a prestigious school prompted both of you to keep secrets from your daughter," Judy stated.

"It was not the school, but the major she chose and what happened afterwards. By the time she went into senior year, Lexi had changed her career choice and suddenly decided to become a police officer. Lexi announced it in a family dinner when they asked her about her future. And things got even worse for all of us. After her big announcement, Lexi received so much backlash from the rest of the family, with Ellie being her only ally, and Lola and James pulled us to the side and told us if we ever told Lexi _anything_ about the family's schemes, they would follow their initial threat and even the kids would pay with their lives for our mess.

"Officers, we are in danger! Lexi knowing this side of our family puts us in danger, even if she does not say anything. They'll make us suffer little by little before wiping us out. Leo has so much life to live and Lexi deserves to protect the city for more than three months. We know we had made so many mistakes in the past, including withholding information, but please help us! If you won't do it for us, do it for our kids!" Frank started to sob uncontrollably while Mindy comforted her husband. She felt tears stream down her face.

Nick and Judy exchanged glances for the dozenth time today. The chinchilla couple were shedding so many tears together with eyes filled with fear. Their lives were at stake now that the trio knows about the Aries' criminal history. Nick bent over the coffee table to grab the tissue box and passed it to the chinchilla couple

"Do not worry. We will place you and your whole family on the on the Witness Protection Program that the ZPD offers. That way, the officers assigned to you will keep your family safe for the duration of the case. Although we suggest that everyone lays low for the time being," Nick assured them.

"Thank you! Thank you so much for helping us! Bless this Witness Protection Program! Mindy praised.

"It's our job. Although we have another question."

"Ask away," Frank said.

"Why is there a file for a very successful business in the box?"

Frank and Mindy froze with wide-eyed expressions. Frank went ahead and spoke. "Well, if I'm being honest, the idea of a family member owning a successful business is very strange. We are so used to seeing our family do so many bad things that we find it kind of fishy for them to have a successful business."

"And who would the owner happen to be?" Judy asked.

"All we know is that their name starts with D and that they are a second cousin in relation to Lexi. That could be anyone really. We have Daniella, Dennis, Diego, Delancy, Dina, and Daniel. It could be any of them! Their parents had done something to add onto the box, so we can't narrow it down any further."

"Interesting," Judy mumbled as she jotted down the information. "Well, that concludes our interrogation for now. Thank you so much for the info. In return, we'll provide you the protection you need."

"You're welcome darling. We're glad to be relieved of this burden we had for years!" Mindy started.

"Nice to meet you as well. Lexi has told us so much about you two," Frank said as he shook hands with the duo.

"She did?" Judy asked as she shook hands with the chinchillas.

"Yeah. She told us about how she met you two once she got home."

"Hopefully the next time we see each other again we'll meet in better terms," Judy commented as she and Nick headed for the door.

As they did so, Mindy yelled out "Wait!" Everyone turned to face her. "Before you go, we need to give you something."

* * *

 _"_ _You were the shadow to my light, did you feel us?_

Lexi had stared out the window while eating a pint of chocolate ice cream and finishing up the tissue box she just bought. For most of the time, the sad songs filled up the cruiser. From time to time, Lexi wailed along with the song

"Another start, you fade away." _You know, I might as well start to fade away. I stormed out in the middle of an interrogation involving my parents. I was acting extremely unprofessional from the start. But why? Why did my parents lie to me my entire life?_ Lexi swallowed her thoughts along with another spoonful of ice cream.

 _"_ _Afraid our aim is out of sight, wanna see us?"_

Then, there was knocking on the window.

Once she grabbed herself together, Lexi rolled down the window to see her friends out there with concerned expressions written on their faces.

"Lexi, can you please let us in? Judy asked politely.

After processing her question, Lexi went to the front of the cruiser and unlocked the car doors before coiling herself to the back. Judy and Nick climbed inside the cruiser and faced their chinchilla friend.

"Lexi how are you doing?" Judy asked.

Lexi sighed. "I'm so sorry guys. I tried to be professional while interrogating my parents. I tried to hold myself together. But I…I couldn't. This is just too much for me. How could my parents lie to me for so long? How could my family be involved in such a crime spree?" Lexi took a deep breath before continuing. "At least this explains why no one supported me in my dreams. But this does not excuse everyone for acting this way."

"You're right Lexi. Nothing can excuse your family's behavior and actions. But your parents had a reason to stay silent."

"What are you talking about?"

"You and your family are in danger. Seventeen years ago, your parents were threatened with death by two chinchillas named Lola and James if they said anything about your family's history. When you announced to your family that you wanted to become a cop, you and your brother were also threatened with death if your parents told you anything as well."

"What?! How could they do this?" Lexi's eyes were filled with anger. "Family is the most important thing to them! How dare they threaten my parents with death?"

"We don't get it either. Hopefully you can see it through their eyes Lexi. They did it to protect you from your family. It was either losing your parents as a kid, which later ended up being your doom as well or holding this in for as long as possible," Nick explained.

"Besides, they sent us with chocolate cake that Mrs. Aries made earlier today," Judy added as she gave the plastic bag with said cake to Lexi.

Tears filled Lexi's eyes as she opened the bag. "They truly are sorry. They rarely let me take several slices home," she softly sobbed.

"Those chinchillas would do anything to make you and your family miserable before they kill all of you. We need to ask Chief Bogo about the Witness Protection Program when we get back to the precinct," Nick stated.

"You're right. Let's go get my parents the help they need and hunt my family down. It's time for them to face the consequences," Lexi vowed before they headed towards the precinct.

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
So...that's that.  
If anyone asks about the song that was featured in the scene with Lexi in the cruiser by herself, that was "Faded" by Alan Walker. There is an acoustic lower key version that suits the setting perfectly in my opinion. If you wonder how it sounds, check out my cover of the song on Smule. My username is JudyHopps934_MT  
I thank you readers for choosing to read my fanfic! it means the world to me. So once again, thank you!  
In other news, I designed the cover art on DeviantArt if you want to check it out. My username is JudyHopps934-ZD (PS: I tried LOL) In addition to the cover art, there's a status regarding what happened to chapter 7 and what will happen once school starts. In the meantime, I'll get chapter 6 up and running in a few minutes.**


	6. Chapter 6: Reality Report

**Chapter 6: Reality Report**

"What do you mean that the grand majority of the Aries family are criminals?!" Chief Bogo exclaimed rather loudly that his three smallest officers flinched at the exclamation. The trio came back from interrogating Frank and Mindy and went directly to the Chief's office to update him on the investigation and asking about providing frank, Mindy, and Leo support from the Witness Protection Program. When the Chief asks why, they told him about their discoveries, which clearly took him by surprise.

After a moment passed, Lexi spoke up. "Unfortunately, a grand majority of my family has committed several serious crimes in a span of seventeen years, with only one of them being caught for all we know."

"This is excluding the robbery involving Shay Aries," Judy added.

Chief Bogo rubs his temples with his fingers and sighs. "Hopps, you and your team were supposed to interrogate Frank and Mindy Aries regarding Shay's testimony during _her_ interrogation. Instead, this turned into whole other investigation regarding the Aries family's criminal history. Who in the world complicates an interrogation?" The last question was more directed to the universe rather than the trio.

"Well in our defense, the laws in place allow us to do so for over 2 years," Nick commented.

Bogo groaned at his officer's comment. Nick wasn't wrong though. Two years ago, he and Judy worked together on finding Emmitt Otterton after he went missing. The further they investigated, the more complex the case became. It went from a Missing Mammal Case to a Savage Mammal Case to the well-known Night Howler Case. Since then, there was a tendency to further complicate a case occasionally as a team.

"I really hoped that this was _not_ one of those times." Bogo turned to face Lexi. "Aries, I must say that I did not expect this from _your_ family. However, based on the reports Hopps gives regarding your team, you are _not_ like the rest of your family. I assume that you had no knowledge of this information, right?"

"No sir. I did not know," Lexi replied.

"Well then, you are cleared for now. I can't say the same about Internal Affairs though."

Lexi gulped. _This is not good._

"Now go get some rest. All of you. I'll send some officers to keep an eye on your parents and your brother Aries as this interrogation has put them in danger. Tomorrow, I want you three to dig up more information, so we can start those arrests. Dismissed."

"Yes sir," The trio said as they headed out the door to clock out.

* * *

For the average mammal in Zootopia, Mondays are the worst. It is the beginning of the week, yet most mammals felt very tired early in the morning and felt relieved once they returned from work or school. For Judy, Nick, and Lexi, this Monday was by far the worst. They would be lying if they said that today was great. For them, it was a long day.

As they clocked out, Judy decided to spark a conversation amongst her friends. "So, are we gonna talk about it?"

"About what?" Nick asks.

"About the case."

"What about it?" Lexi raised an eyebrow as she asked her question.

"About what might happen. Guys, we can't ignore it! We must deal with it whether we like it or not!" Judy threw her arms in exasperation while rolling her eyes.

Nick and Lexi exchanged glances for a moment. Nick sighed afterwards. "Carrots is right. This is about your family Lexi. We want to know how you are feeling."

Lexi sighed. "I…I feel uneasy. Today has been crazy. Shay was arrested for robbery and held someone hostage. Then, she tells me that my family had been involved in some shady stuff. I learned that my parents had known about this the whole time and only kept silent because Lola and James had threatened them with suffering and death," she sighed and took a deep breath. "This? This is all too much."

"I agree. This is too much for anyone really. And yet, there's more." Nick started out.

"Nick!" Judy hissed, seeing where this was going.

"There's no point in hiding this Carrots. Besides like you said, we can't avoid talking about this. It's bound to come up sooner or later!"

Judy sighed in defeat. "And the sooner, the better."

"Exactly. First, we must look at the documents from the box-"

"Wait, you guys brought it with you?" Lexi interrupted.

"Yep. Your parents let us take it with us to help figure out who did what and such. Then, we must look through their records from downstairs. Afterwards, we arrest your entire family for their crimes. That's a major feat overall and these next few days won't be easy, but we'll get through this case."

"I must say, that was an impressive speech Slick!" Judy complimented.

"Thanks, I try," Nick responded.

"Listen guys, I am all for catching my family and lock them behind bars." Judy and Nick were wide-eyed by the chinchilla's words. "I am just worried for my closest family. What if the others catch on to the fact that they told them? What will happen to my parents? My brother? Wait…" Lexi gasped as a thought popped up. "Judy, Nick? What if Internal Affairs catch onto me? What will happen to me?!"

The last question had caught Judy and Nick off-guard. There's a possibility that Internal Affairs might catch on to Lexi due to her family's criminal history.

After a while, Judy spoke up. "Lexi, we are a team! We will always be by your side to support and defend you. _If_ Internal Affairs decide to catch on to you, tell them the truth. We're also willing to defend you. Based on what I know about you, you always had the mindset to bring justice to others and this is no different. You seem like the mammal that would not let her family's business cloud her judgement, especially because you just said so. Point is, you have nothing to worry about regarding Internal Affairs. You are not like the rest of your family and you did not know. And we're your witnesses of your testimony."

"Really?" Lexi asked.

"Really. We saw what you are capable of Lexi. We decided to have you join our team three months ago for that reason. And we will stick together all the way!" Judy verified.

"Thanks Judy." Lexi embraced her friends in return. "Well, I must get going so we can start the investigation tomorrow."

"Hold up. You can't go home yet," Nick stated.

"What? Why not?" Lexi shrugged her arms and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Nick is right. There's a chance that your family has caught onto the fact that you know about their crimes and they are probably going after you," Judy explained.

"But I've never told them where I live. They've lost my trust since that family dinner six years ago."

"But whose to say that they haven't been stalking you this whole time without you noticing?" Nick added on.

"Then where am I gonna go? What will I wear for the next few days?" Lexi protested.

"Well, we've decided that you'll be staying with us for a while," Judy responded.

"Really?" Lexi asked with a wide-eyed expression.

"Yep. But first, we need to gather your things."

* * *

After passing by Lexi's apartment to gather her things that she would need for a week, the trio headed towards Judy and Nick's shared apartment. Ever since Nick had joined the academy, he and Judy had decided to share a two-bedroom apartment as Nick was living in…well, lets just call it an inhospitable home, while Judy has been living in a rather small apartment. Then there was the bonus on splitting the rent to save money.

"Alright. Here we are," Nick said out loud while opening the door to the shared apartment.

No matter how many times Lexi has been to Judy and Nick's apartment every Friday evening, she is always mesmerized by the interior design of the apartment. The building was brand new, which explains the modern design of every apartment in the building. According to Nick, it was quite affordable for them and it was available at the time.

"Once again, thank you both so much for letting me stay at your place for the duration of the investigation. So, what's the plan?" Lexi asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about letting you sleep in my room," Judy responded.

"Wait, I was actually referring to the case. I wouldn't want any of you to make any arrangements. I'll be willing to sleep on the couch."

"But you are our guest. We wouldn't want you to do that. _I'll_ be willing to do so."

"Seriously Judy, you both have done so much for me and I don't want to have you guys sacrifice your comfort. After all, this is your home."

"Lexi, I insist-"

"Can you both stop?" Judy and Lexi stopped their disagreement and turned to face Nick. "Seriously, this is getting annoying, so how about a compromise? Carrots, you and I could fill up the air mattress from the storage closet and you and Lexi can share the room. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," Lexi agreed.

"I'll go get the air mattress from the closet," Judy said as she headed towards said closet.

* * *

After five minutes of searching for the air mattress and 30 minutes of filling it up with air while also dealing with several hiccups, the air mattress was finally ready for use.

"Well…that…was…fun," Nick said while catching his breath.

"I…think…it's…time…to…eat," Judy suggested as she catches her breath as well.

"Should I order takeout for all of us then?" Lexi asks.

The only response she got was a thumbs up from her friends, who were still breathing deeply.

* * *

"Mmm. This is so good," Lexi said as she ate her pasta.

"I know! The restaurant that you ordered this from makes the best food," Nick added on as he munched on his food. The place where Lexi ordered from specialized in pasta dishes – and they were really good. "Cheers to the best pasta place and to Lexi for offering to pay," he said as he raised his glass of fruit punch.

"Cheers!" The girls shouted as they clanged their fruit punch glasses.

"Not to ruin the mood, but can we talk about the plan regarding the case?" Lexi asked.

"Okay. What do you have in mind?" Judy asked in response to Lexi's question.

"An idea would be to hunt down the most important people of the operation, like James and Lola. That way, the others would struggle to arrange a new hierarchy amongst them as we capture the rest of them." Lexi explained.

"Not too bad, but what if we gather everyone in the family together and form a raid to capture them?" Nick suggested

"Or, we could gather everyone by using the important people in the operation? Either way, we must do our research on every single family member. Since there are fifty of them and three of us, that means we all take..." Judy pauses for a moment to do the math in her head. "…about 16 to 17 family members."

"Which we must look at as quickly as possible."

"But no matter what, we are all in this together. To unity!" Lexi cheered while holding her fruit punch out."

"To unity for the three smallest mammals on the force, capable of taking down even the largest of criminals," Nick added to the toast.

"To unity!" Judy shouted as she and the others clanked their drinks.

"Pfft. We've got this," Lexi stated confidently.

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** **Hey you! Yes you, the one who is staring at their devices to read this story! Hi, what's up? Hope you all are having a great day.  
So, posting regularly will be a challenge because my school is quite prestigious and challenging regarding course load. In addition, my school day is about 8 hours long. I took a huge gamble when I decided to write a multi-chapter fanfic instead of a one-shot, but I'm glad I did so. It gave me a chance to work on my writing over the summer and I felt complete. But I will not abandon the project because why would I do that after spending a summer writing 6 chapters?  
Still, I'm truly sorry for future delays. :(  
Thank you all so much for your support as well! Because of your interest in my fanfic, I'm willing to continue writing and even start something new as soon as this story is complete (which would hopefully be complete by the end of this year).  
Well, those were my words of wisdom for this week and hope to see ya all soon!  
Bye! :)**


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